The Fifth Annual BioSpectrum Awards nite was held at the The
Leela Palace Kempinski, Bangalore, on December 21, 2007. The BioSpectrum Awards
were started in 2003. The objective was to recognize the outstanding
contributors to the biotech sector in the country and honor them. The awards
were selected by a panel of eminent people, who came from various backgrounds,
and represented diverse sections of the industry. The selection panel was
constituted in the last week of September. After having preliminary discussions
on the nominations and criteria for BioSpectrum 2007 Awards selection, the jury
members met in Bangalore on October 16, 2007 and made their final choice.

At a glittering function, Shyam Malhotra, editor-in-chief of
BioSpectrum presented the BioSpectrum Person of the Year 2007 award to
Varaprasad Reddy, managing director of Shantha Biotechnics for pioneering a
biotech wave and making a societal impact by launching life saving vaccines and
therapeutics at affordable cost. Reddy is also a Padma Bhushan awardee.

The co-founder and chairman of Strand Life Sciences, Dr Vijay
Chandru, was acknowledged as the Entrepreneur of the Year 2007. In his
video-recorded acceptance speech (he has gone to Boston to undergo follow up
treatment for the gunshot wounds he suffered during the terrorist attack at the
Indian Institute of Science two years ago), Dr Chandru said genomics is poised
to take off as an industry worldwide and this will, in turn, revive the
bioinformatics sector in which his company is a participant.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Dr Pushpa Mittra
Bhargava, former director of Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB).
Thanks to Dr Bhargava's untiring efforts, CCMB is today as one of the most
well-known biotech research centers in the world. Dr Bhargava has spent over
four decades in biotech development in India and is a recipient of several
prestigious awards including the Padma Bhushan.

Biocon's BIOMAb EGFR bagged the Product of the Year award.
BIOMAb EGFR is a therapeutic monoclonal antibody-based drug for treating solid
tumors of epithelial origin such as head and neck cancers. Gujarat bagged the
Biotech State of the Year award.

Speaking on the occasion, Shyam Malhotra said, "This
award function is a special occasion for us at CyberMedia also as we have
completed a quarter century of reporting the emergence of a knowledge nation.
Starting with just one magazine-Dataquest, 25 years ago, we have grown into
South Asia's largest specialty publication and B2B media group with 15 titles.
Our journey and growth till now has been synonymous with the evolution of the IT
and telecom sectors in India. Going ahead, we hope to repeat the same experience
with the growth of the biotechnology industry in the country."

E Abraham Mathew, president, Chief Editor, BioSpectrum, added, "CyberMedia
is also the first Indian media house to have ventured outside the country to
serve a global audience by publishing two magazines-BioSpectrum Asia from
Singapore and Global Services from the US."

N Suresh, group editor of BioSpectrum, recalled that from its first issue,
the magazine had been pursuing the idea of a National Biotechnology Policy. He
thanked the biotech industry for all the support in chronicling and commenting
on the developments of this Rs 8,300-crore industry.

Dr Ramesh Hariharan, co-founder of Strand Life
Sciences receives the Entrepreneur of the Year award on behalf of Dr
Vijay Chandru, CMD, Strand Life Sciences, from Dr Villoo Morawala-Patell,
chairman, Avesthagen.

Bio-Rad Laboratories is a manufacturer and distributor of a
broad range of products for the life science research and clinical diagnostics
markets. Headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, it has regional offices in Chennai,
Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

Serum Institute of India

Serum Institute of India is the world's largest producer of
measles and DTP group of vaccines. It was founded in 1966 to manufacture
life-saving immuno-biologicals. Its products have been used in 140 countries.

Established in the year 2000, with a focus on Biotechnology,
Acharya Institute today is a hub of education in Biotechnology. It has
established a research, training and consultancy cell to provide ample
opportunities for the staff and students to take up research and consultancy
tasks with industries.

The Amity Institute of Biotechnology

The Amity Institute of Biotechnology (AIB) is developing as
one of the biggest business and entrepreneurial centers in Asia. It was
established in August 2001. Amity helps in developing interdisciplinary and
professional skills in its students along with imbibing ethical and moral values
in them.

Panacea Biotec

Panacea Biotec is a research based health management company involved in
research, manufacturing and marketing of branded pharmaceutical formulations,
vaccines and natural products. Commencing fiscal 2008, the company plans for
international marketing of novel NDDS based pharmaceutical formulation products
to the US, UK, Germany, France, Latin American countries and Italy.